Following a year that saw the closure of three beloved live music venues in downtown Peterborough — The Pig’s Ear, The Spill, and Catalina’s — Jonathan Hall and Mike Judson are partnering to open a new one.
The Twisted Wheel, located at 379 Water Street, will be opening in four to six weeks, according to Hall.
The new bar and lounge is a joint venture of Hall (former owner of Spanky’s, Splice, and The Trasheteria, and creator of The Hootenanny on Hunter Street) and Judson (actor, former CHEX weather analyst, and current co-host on Country 105 FM).
Located between Amandala’s Restaurant and Watson & Lou, The Twisted Wheel is a half block away from the former location of The Trasheteria, which closed in 2012 after 14 years.
The interior of the 379 Water Street, which at one time was occupied by fireplace and home decor business Alternative Enterprises, is currently undergoing renovations.
According to Hall, The Twisted Wheel will be a lounge/bar and events space that will feature “live music alongside vinyl DJ culture and special events”.
The new bar is named after The Twisted Wheel nightclub in Manchester, England that was open from 1963 to 1971. Commonly called The Wheel, the club was one of the first in the U.K. to play “northern soul”, a music and dance genre that emerged in northern England in the late 1960s from the British mod scene.
During The Wheel’s heyday, DJs would play rare and imported U.S. soul records while people danced on the talcum powder-ridden floors. On Saturday nights, famous American blues, soul, and R&B artists would perform, including Ike and Tina Turner, Junior Walker, Edwin Starr, Sonny Boy Williamson, Ike and Tina Turner, Ben E. King, John Lee Hooker, and Little Walter. The club also showcased new U.K. talents at the time such as Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, and Elton John.
